If winter is your least favorite season, maybe you’re just not taking full advantage of all the fun activities you can do while you’re inside hibernating. Let’s face it: sitting inside all winter, counting the days down until spring arrives is depressing. Here are indoor activities and tips for crushing the winter blues and actually having some fun!
1. FIRST THINGS FIRST, UNPLUG.
It’s easy to let one video autoplay into another, and before you know it, winter is over, and you’ve turned into a sprouted potato.
You don’t have to give up tech entirely, though. Give yourself strict no-tech times, and stick to them. Even if you’re bored, don’t open up a single app while bumbling around the house with nothing to do. There are better ideas like…
2. BAKE SOMETHING NEW.
Have you ever made homemade croissants from scratch? It’s a big project to tackle, but it comes with a seriously buttery payoff at the end. Find a good recipe, load up on good quality ingredients, and get ready for a two-day project.
3. DO A JIGSAW PUZZLE.
Puzzles aren’t just fun. They are good for our brains. Instead of letting your brain slack off during the winter, give it a challenge to help it grow.
4. UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY.
Take up a new hobby, and dig in to your creative instincts. Here is a prompt to get you started: list 5 jobs you’d love to have (you know, in an alternate universe). Maybe you think it would be cool to be an astronomer, or a rock star, or a professional ballerina. Just list five dream jobs.
Now, choose one of those jobs and figure out how you can incorporate it into your life. Maybe you decide to pick up a guitar and learn some chords, if you dream of being a rock star. Maybe you learn more about the constellations and start doing some sketches as a wannabe astronomer. Find a way to creatively make a little piece of your dreams come to life.
5. KNIT A HAT OR SCARF.
Creative, meditative, AND you get a beautiful handmade hat or scarf at the end! Plus, if you’re stressed or bored, knitting is the antidote—humans have been doing it for thousands of years. There are plenty of instructions on the Internet. All you need are some yarn, a pattern and some knitting needles. On your mark. Get set. Knit!
6. START READING AGAIN.
Remember how much you used to read before Netflix and YouTube came around? Well, wintertime is the perfect time to get reacquainted with your intellectual self. Ask a friend or bookstore expert for recommendations, turn off your phone, pour a cup of tea and enjoy getting lost in a world of words.
7. CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOTHES OR REORGANIZE YOUR LIVING SPACE.
Okay, so maybe this one isn’t super fun, but it really pays off. Pick up a book on feng shui, and move your furniture around to get rid of stale energy. Get rid of old clothes that don’t really flatter you. Reduce all the clutter in your life. You’ll be amazed at how much more balanced and happy you’ll feel as a result—which really helps to get rid of the blues.
8. PLAN A PARTY!
If you’re bouncing off the walls, odds are many of your friends are, too. So why not plan a party that you can all look forward to?
Get all your friends to bake their favorite holiday cookies, so you can swap recipes and feast on them together. It’s kind of like a cheese or wine tasting, but winter-style. You could also play boardgames, have a fancy dinner or host your own impromptu dance party.
TRY A NEW SEASONAL ACTIVITY.
Just because it is winter doesn’t mean you have to stop going outside entirely. Once you’re out there, you may just find that it is really not as cold/wet/bad as you thought it would be.
Choose the winter activity that most entices you. Nordic skiing? Snowshoeing? Trail running? Mountaineering? Fat biking? Winter birdwatching and animal tracking? Find something new and seasonal to try, whether you live in a snowy area or not.
SOURCE: https://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-fun-indoor-activities-to-beat-the-winter-blues.html
